Fancy yarn manufacture



Feb. 2, 1960 J. w. BUSH ETAL FANCY YARN MANUFACTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NU W m mwa Lu A Mm lwL BY d Filed July 24, 1957 EEO-Hull! Feb. 2, 1960 J. w. BUSH ETA!- FANCY YARN MANUFACTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1957 J ohm. L onmc, Lana BY ATTORNEY United States Patent FANCY YARN MANUFACTURE John W. Bush and Lonnie Long, Clarkesville, Ga., as-

signors to United Merchants and Manufacturers, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Appiication July 24, 1957, Serial No. 673,902

'4 Claims. (Cl. 57-18) This invention relates to the manufacture of yarns, and more particularly to special effects and fancy yarns obtained in twisting operations. or the like.

Prior to the weaving or knitting of cloth piece goods of any kind or description, the yarn components thereof must first be fabricated. Such fabrication normally involves a whole chain or sequence of operations beginning with opening and picking, carding and combing, the drawing and roving operations, spinning, winding and twisting, and finally spooling, warping and slashing. After all these steps of what might be roughly termed fiber preparation, there follows the weaving or knit goods manufacture, bleaching, dyeing or printing, and finally fabric finishing, after which the material thus fabricated may be stored or shipped out for final disposition.

Twisting is a part and parcel of the yarn preparation referred to above. In the twisting process two or more single yarns are spiralled about each other, thereby forming in combination a plied or ply yarn. Any number of yarns may be used in twisting, and moreover, the twist may be applied in either direction. This plying of yarns -in the twisting operation may, and frequently does, result in varied effects, such as increased strength, enhanced smoothness or appearance, and/or novelty, and/or fancy elfects.

On special twisters it is possible to feed difierent yarns at diiferent rates, or intermittently, and it is further feasible to combine these two features and thereby produce special novelty elfects.

The present invention proposes a method and means for making special-novelty effects in yarns by twisting together two or more'yarns to form a composite ply 'yarn.

A further'purpose and object of the invention is a "method and means for making special or novelty effects -in composite novelty core yarns. The term core yarn as used herein comprises one or more yarns either of spun yarn or continuous filament nature which in the twisting operation are drawn through a hollow spindle "from a cradle below said spindle (as will appear hereinafter). In-the production of novelty yarns, with which "thepresent invention is concerned, usually such novelty yarns have'both a core yarn 'andan effect yarn or thread. The relation-between these two yarn elements is such that the effect thread is wound around or spiralled aboutthe core yarn so that the two components, in combination, form a composite novelty yarn composed of a core yarn or thread and an effect yarn or thread Woundth'ereabout. 'However, the combination of the effect and core components in such composite novelty Vcore yarns is not one of permanent adherence, so that "the core and effect yarns retain their individually distinct identity and are not fused together into a single 'entity or unit. The elfect member also may be of continuous filament character, or may be made entirely of spun yarn. Both the core and theeifect components may be of the same or differing fiber content. Either or both may be in whole or in part of wool, cotton, linen, rayon, acetate, nylon, Vinyon, Dacron, Orlon, or any other natural or synthetic or man-made type fiber, and in continuous filament form or in the form of spun yarn.

The invention further contemplates the production of composite novelty core yarns by a method and means including the twisting or plying or wrapping together of two or more yarns to form a composite plied yarn. To these and other ends the effect component of said plied yarn is preferably continuously twisted as it is wound spirally about or around the core member. The core yarn component does not receive any twist as the effect component is wound thereabout. As the twisting and winding of the effect thread proceeds there occurs simultaneously an intermittent and regularly recurrent interruption of the take-up of the composite plied yarn. As a result there is a build-up of twist in the effect yarn during the period while the take-up of the composite plied yarn is stopped or interrupted. The core remains twistless. This effects a seed or slub type yarn. A slub yarn is one in which soft and relatively thick tufts of fiber are incorporated at regular intervals along the length or lengthwise of said yarn. A seed yarn, also called Knop yarn, is a ply novelty yarn with pronounced knots or buttons of yarn appearing at intervals. It consists of one or more ground threads delivered slowly at intermittent speed and an effect thread-usually of different color and/or material-delivered faster and continuously. Thus, the latter accumulates in thick bunches or knops. It is also called knotted or nub yarn.

The present invention further has for its purposes and objects the manufacture or fabrication of unlimited fancy effects on almost any type yarns, as will hereinafter appear.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be apparent, the present invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and/ or steps, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of those parts and portions of the twisting operation and apparatus considered necessary or advisable for understanding the nature and scope of the present invention, which view illustrates the fabrication of a core yarn by meansfor continuously twisting and spiralling a wrapper or effect yarn about a twistless core to forma composite plied novelty yarn, and means for interrupting at predetermined and regularly recurring intervals the take-up of said plied compositev novelty yarn without stopping the application of continuous twist to the wrapper or effect component of said novelty yarn;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of an electrically actuated clutch brake assembly comprising means for intermittent and regularly recurring interruption of the rotation of a central shaft member controlling'takeup of the composite novelty yarn, and includes a diagrammatic representation of a double throw, single po sition switch for alternately effecting rotation of the central shaft and bringing it to rest, motionless; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation or illustration of a motor driven cam assembly for actuation of the electri- .cally operated clutch brake assembly of Fig. 2 according to the present invention.

therein shown, said twister apparatus preferably comprises a supply of yarn without limitation as to its type, finish, or other properties and characteristics for the core component of the composite novelty yarn which 3 may be in the form of a yarn package 10 mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis in any suitable bracket or holder (not shown). It will be understood, of course, that more more than one yarn may be fed .to the up-twister for processing. For such purposes two or more yarn cradles or holders 10 may be employed for simultaneous unwinding and feeding into the up-twister frame.

The effect component of the present yarn may be supplied to the twisting assembly as by means of the vertically mounted yarn package 11 which is fitted on over a hollowed-out tapering sleeve or spindle blade 12. R- tation of the vertically arranged effect yarn package 11 is effected by means of the high speed horizontally traveling belt 13 in contact with the wider and lower end portion of spindle blade 12.

As the core yarn member is unwound from the package 10, it travels upwardly through a tube 14 depending from the spindle 12, and thence through the hollow interior passageway of the blade 12 until it emerges from the relatively constricted neck portion 15 of the spindle blade 12. At or near that point the untwisted core component makes contact with the twisted effect yarn 11, both the untwisted core 10 and twisted wrapper 11 being there plied together to form a single or unitary composite novelty yarn 16 at or near the balloon guide station 17. The function of the moving belt 13 is to rotate the package 11 containing the effect component, whereby said effect yarn is unwound from the vertically mounted yarn package 11. Twist continues to be inserted in the effect yarn 11 because of the fact that the spindle 12 continues to rotate without interruption even as movement of the composite core novelty yarn 16 stops when the cork roll 18 stops.

Means are also provided herein for simultaneously unwinding both the core member 10 and effect component 11 from their respective packages so that they may be brought together at or near the guide station 17 to form, as stated, the combination or composite novelty yarn 16. Such unwinding means, as seen in Fig. 1, includes the cork roll 18 which is fixed to rotate with the cork roll shaft 19. The exterior surface of the cork roll 18 contacts the composite novelty yarn 16, and the cork roll shaft 19 is driven by any suitable means, as for example, the clutch-brake electrically actuated mechanism 50 hereinafter described. As the composite novelty yarn 16 travels through the guide zone 17, it is taken up in the form of a package 21 on an aluminum tube 20 which is driven by frictional contact with the cork roll 18, which latter rotates in unison with the cork roll shaft 19.

Normally, the amount of twist or number of turns per inch inserted in a yarn in the conventional up-twister operation is regulated by the ratio of speed between the wrapper or effect thread bobbin 11 and speed of rotation of the cork roll 18 on which the twisted yarn is taken up at the end of the twisting operation, This ordinarily is a continuous and uniform motion, for the spindle 11 runs continuously at a constant and predetermined r.p.m., while the cork roll 18 does likewise. There is no change in either of these two speeds, that isthe speed of rotation of the bobbin 11 and the speed of rotation of the cork roll 18, unless the pulleys or gears which drive these respective members are changed so as to alter or modify the degree of twist or over-all speed of the twister frame.

Furthermore, according to conventional twisting procedure, the spindle 12 is solid, not hollow, and no passageway therethrough is provided for the core yarn 10; therefore, in the present invention an extra supply, package. 10, comprising a core element for the composite or .combination yarn 16 is mounted below the hollow spindle 12 and its dependent connecting tube 14.

Moreover, the instant invention also includes variable means for intermittently starting and stopping rotation of the cork roll shaft 19 controlling rotation of the cork roll 18 and take-up package 21, as will be described presently. As a result of these modifications in conventional twister apparatus and twisting procedure, virtually unlimited fancy may be obtained on almost any type of yarn. The action involved is that the twisted yarn spindle 12 rotates continuously, While the package containing the core yarn 10 being drawn through the tube 14 and hollow spindle blade 12 starts and stops according to a predetermined timing sequence. The thread or core yarn 10 going through the hollow spindle 12 does not receive any twist, so that it is either twistless or carries only that amount of twist which is had received in prior operations before being wound up on the supply package 10. In contrast, the effect yarn is twisted to any desired extent as it unwinds from the spindle package 11 by means of conventional change gears which alter the ratio of r.p.m. between spindle 12 and cork take-up roll 18. The take-up package 21 alternately stops and goes. As the composite novelty yarn 16 is intermittently wound up thereon, there results a build-up of extra twist on the effect yarn component 11 during the time while the cork roll 18 and take-up package 21 of twisted composite novelty yarn 16 are at rest and not in motion. Thus, a seed or slub type effect on the composite yarn 16 is obtained. The number and kind of different yarn combinations and effects which may be secured by altering or modifying the pattern of rotation of the cork roll 18 controlled by rotation of the cork roll shaft 19 is virtually unlimited. Also, as previously mentioned, two or more threads or yarns 10 may be simultaneously fed up through the hollow spindle 12 and tube end 14.

Further according to the present invention, an electrically controlled brake-clutch mechanism 50 is provided for allowing rotation of the take-up roll or tube 20 to be stopped at regular predetermined intervals. The electric clutch-brake assembly illustrated in Fig. 2 has been found suitable for such purposes. This mechanism may be mounted on a central shaft 22 which is freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis on spaced ball bearings 23 situated on opposed sides thereof. Keyed to the rotatable shaft 22, and therefore designed to rotate therewith, are a clutch magnet 24, the collector rings 25, a brake armature 26, and a drive sprocket 27 in spaced relation to the clutch magnet 24, for controlling rotation of the cork roll shaft 19 and the cork roll 18, the latter being fixed to said cork roll shaft 19. The clutch brushes and brush holder 25 are stationary.

A brake magnet 28 is bolted or otherwise fixed to the stationary frame piece 29 and does not rotate. The clutch-brake mechanism 50 may be of the type manufactured by the Warner Electric Brake Manufacturing Company of Beloit, Wis. under the general title Warner Electric Brakes and Clutches for Industrial Application." It must be understood, however, that other clutch-brake mechanisms may be employed with equal effect to intermittently start and stop rotation of the cork roll shaft 19 and take-up tube 20.

The Warner electric brake and clutch consists of two simple, electromagnets and two armature discs adapted to coact with said magnets. The brake armature, when used as a brake, rotates with the shaft, pulley, hub, or fly wheel by which it is carried, while the brake magnet remains stationary. When the brake magnet is energized, it attracts the brake armature and creates the braking effect through friction of the brake magnet poles and the brake magnet face lining material, upon the brake armature. As a clutch, both the clutch magnet and the clutch armature rotate with whatever shaft, hub, pulley or part to which they are attached. The clutch magnet receives its current through collector rings and brushes. The clutch and brake armature sections have a wear surface made up of segments of magnetic material that are welded to steel back plate. The magnet section consists of an electro-magnet design faced with molded friction material. Power is applied through a coil solidly embedded below the friction facing material of the magnet section.

A clutch armature 30, as seen in Fig. 2, is driven from the twister frame 31 by means of a sprocket 31, and the sprocket 31 and clutch armature 30 may both be conveniently mounted on roller bearings, and are therefore free to rotate independently of any other parts of the clutch-brake assembly. The speed of rotation of the sprocket 31 and armature 30 is preferably constant, and may be determined or fixed by the gear settings on the twister.

The operation of the clutch-brake device 50 is controlled by a cam-operated, double throw, single pole switch 32. The switch 32 may be actuated by a cam follower 33 (see Fig. 3) which is constructed and arranged so as to run on the surface and about the periphery of a revolvable cam wheel 34 driven by a shaft 35 rotated by any suitable power source (not shown). A plurality of regularly or irregularly, as desired, spaced cams 36 are temporarily or permanently fixed to the working surface of the motor driven cam wheel 34. As will be understood, the cam wheel 34 may be rotated at any desired speed, and the several earns 36 can be made of any length and located at any interval along the peripheral surface of cam wheel 34. If desired, a single cam may be substtiuted instead of the plurality of cams 36. The number and variety of different cam combinations is virtually unlimited.

In operation, when the cam follower 33 is moving or running along the surface of the cam wheel 34, as shown in Fig. 3, then the switch 32 energizes the clutch-magnet 24 and the clutch armature 30 together. This action rotates the clutch-brake mounting shaft '22, which in turn, by reason of the connecting sprocket drive 27 keyed to shaft 22, revolves the cork roll shaft 19 controlling simultaneous rotation of the cork roll 18 and the take-up package 21. At the same time the circuit to the brake magnet 28 and brake terminals 28 is open, and therefore inoperative.

When a cam 36 lifts the cam follower 33 from the working normal surface of the cam wheel 34, then the switch 32 moves to its second position. This opens the circuit to the clutch-magnet 24 and closes the circuit to the brake magnet 28. The brake armature 26 is now electrically locked to the brake magnet 28, the latter be ing fixed as by bolts to the stationary frame piece 29. Under these circumstances and conditions, as described,

the brake armature 26, and therefore the central mount-- ing shaft 22 and drive sprocket 27 to which it is keyed cease to rotate. As a result, and simultaneously with such cessation of rotation, the cork roll shaft 19, the cork roll 18, and the take-up package 21, all also stop revolving and come to rest. But the belt 13 which controls twisting of the yarn 11 and rotation of the vertical spindle 12 are independent of movement of either of the shafts 19 and 22, whereby the spindle 12 continues to rotate and extra twist is built up in the effect yarn element 11 of the composite novelty yarn 16. The added twist tends to make the twisted wrapper 11 turn back upon itself, and thereby form loops or slubs or other special or fancy yarn effects, as previously explained.

Manifestly, the length of time or periods of rotation of the clutch-brake mounting shaft 22 and the fork roll shaft 19 acting simultaneously therewith, and the periods when there is no rotation thereof, can be varied in many ways, as by suitable modification of the cam arrangement, cam speed, and/ or cam lengths.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination in a twister apparatus for the manufacture of novelty yarns, of means for producing slub effects in such yarns, said means comprising unwinding means for simultaneously unwinding individually distinct effect and corn yarn components for such novelty yarns from separate sources of supply, twisting means for continuously applying twist to the effect component as it is unwound while preventingthe application of any twistto the core component as it unwinds, plying means for bringing the untwisted core and twisted effect components together into the form of a composite novelty yarn, the effect component being spirally wound about the core component, means for moving the plied composite novelty yarn toward and into a take up zone, an electrically acituated brake means for periodically interrupting movement of the said plied composite novelty yarn toward the take-up zone, whereby an excess of twist is built up only in the effect component of said composite novelty yarn, and an electrically actuated clutch means for periodic resumption of movement of said plied yarn into the takeup zone, whereby slub effects are formed in said composite novelty yarn at intervals lengthwise thereof.

2. The combination in a twister apparatus for the manufacture of novelty yarns, of means for producing slub effects in such yarns, said means comprising unwinding means for unwinding individually distinct effect and core yarn components for such novelty yarns from a supply thereof, twisting means for continuously applying twist to the effect component as it is unwound while preventing the application of any twist to the core component as it unwinds, plying means for bringing the untwisted core and twisted effect components together into the form of a composite novelty yarn, the effect component being spirally wound about the core component, means for moving the plied composite novelty yarn toward and into a take-up zone, an electrically actuated brake means for periodically interrupting movement of the said plied composite novelty yarn toward the take-up zone, whereby an excess of twist is built up only in the effect component of said composite novelty yarn, and an electrically actuated clutch means for periodic resumption of movement of said plied y'arn into the take-up zone, whereby slub effects are formed in said composite novelty yarn at intervals lengthwise thereof.

3. The combination in a twister apparatus for the manufacture of novelty yarns, of means for producing slub effects in such yarns, said means comprising unwinding means for unwinding individually distinct effect and core yarn components for such novelty yarns from a supply thereof, twisting means for continuously applying twist the application of any twist to the core component as it unwinds, plying means for bringing the untwisted core and twisted effect components together into the form of a composite novelty yarn, the effect component being spirally wound about the core component, means for moving the plied composite novelty yarn toward and into a take-up zone, brake means for periodically interrupting movement of the said plied composite novelty yarn toward the take-up zone, whereby an excess of twist is built up only in the efiect component of said composite novelty yarn, and clutch means for periodic resumption of movement of said plied yarn into the take-up zone, whereby slub effects are formed in said composite novelty yarn at intervals lengthwise thereof.

4. The combination in a twister apparatus for the manufacture of novelty yarns, of means for producing slub effects in such yarns, said means comprising unwinding means for unwinding individually distinct effect and core yarn components for such novelty yarns from a supply thereof, twisting means for continuously applying twist to the effect component as it is unwound while preventing the application of any twist to the core component as it unwinds, plying means for bringing the untwisted core and twisted effect components together into the form of a composite novelty yarn, the effect component being spirally wound about the core component, means for moving the plied composite novelty yarn toward and into a take-up zone, means for periodically interrupting movement of the said plied composite novelty yarn toward the take-up zone,whereby an excess of twist is built up only in the effect component of said composite novelty yarn, and means for periodic resumption of movement .of said plied yam into the take-up zone, whereby slub efiects are formed in said composite novelty yarn at intervals lengthwise thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,946,941 Leonard Feb. 13, 1934 8 Pool ..--.1.. Aug, 13, 1935 Dickie et'al Nov. 24, 1936 Brandwood Nov. 22, 1938 Taylor Mar. 28, 1939 Sorensen Oct. 1, 1940 Cooper July 1, 1941 McNally et -al. Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo, 2 923 120 February 2 1960 John W Bush et' al.,

It is hereby certified that error" appears in. the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring cerrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.)

Column l line 4 after fancy insert W effects line 12, for "is had read it had Signed and sealed this 5th day of July 1960.,

Atfiest: Q v

KARL H, AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON I Comissioner of Patents attesting-Officer 

